A system for clipping a profiled trim element onto a molding using a flexible clip for fixing an attached component to a glazing is known in the prior art from International Patent Application WO 2007/003823.
According to that document, the upstream collaborating part comprises at least one projecting male element or one hollow female element, this element collaborating respectively with a corresponding hollow female element or projecting male element created in the molding, said hollow female element having interior dimensions that are at least partially smaller than the exterior dimensions of said projecting male element.
This collaboration is thus of the “tenon-mortise” type with friction between at least part of the surfaces of the elements.
One important advantage of this device lies in the reliability of the fixing system: it allows the profiled trim to be held reliably in position even under extreme, notably vibrational, conditions.
However, this system makes the design of the molding far more complicated and necessitates the designing of a special molding that has special male or female zones.
In particular, this system dictates that the clip has to be positioned extremely precisely so that the upstream collaborating part collaborates correctly with the corresponding part created in the molding, and such precise positioning is difficult to automate (it can be done only by hand), leading to additional costs when this solution is implemented.
A system for fixing a trim directly to a molding with no immediate component is also known in the prior art, from International Patent Application WO 2008/084076, and this fixing is performed by an appendage of barbed appearance situated on the rear face of the trim piercing the molding.
In order to fix the trim onto the molding, it is therefore necessary for the trim to be positioned precisely with respect to the molding and for the (decorative) exterior face of the trim to be pressed hard enough for the barbed hook to pass through the molding.
However, because the material of the molding performs a sealing function, it has to have a fairly high mechanical strength and the pressure force needed to achieve the piercing has therefore to be very high.
This system is complicated to implement because the force with which the trim has to be pressed against the molding has to be high but at the same time precise so that the barbed hook correctly penetrates the molding, without crumpling under the effect of the pressing force. It too is very difficult to automate.
Further, it is difficult to implement without running the risk of damaging the (decorative) front face of the trim.